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4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

PatentdDec. 11, 1894.

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4 Sheets-Shet 2.

(No Model.)

v 0. B. ANDREWS. MACHINE FOR GOILING MATCH SPLINTS.

No. 530,875. Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

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G. B. ANDREWS. I

MACHINE FOR GOILING MATCH SPLINTS. N0. 530,875'. Patented Dec. 1-1, 1894.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

G. B. ANDREWS.

MAG'HINE FOR GUIDING MATCH SPLINTS. No. 580,875. Patented Dec. 11,1894.

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cHAELEs B. ANDREWS, OF LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF oNE- HALF TO CHARLES ERAUoH, OF SAME PLAcE.

MACHINE FoR COILING MATCH-SPLINTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent lilo. 530,875, dated December-11, 1894.

' Application filed April 19, 1894. Serial No. 508,192- (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lebanon, in the county of Lebanon and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Coiling Match-Splints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of match-making machines which are known in the trade as coilers or bunching machines. As far as I am aware heretofore coilers or machines for bunching match-sticks orsplints have been independently driven machines and each machine required one or more attendants, thus requiring a manufacturer to employ a comparatively large number of hands and a large amount of power for this particular class of work.

My invention has in view a large saving of power and the reduction of the number of hands necessary to do the same amount of work which has heretofore been done by independently driven machines.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a track or way having an endless cable or belt and a rack-bar which serve as the motive power for the match ceiling or bunching machines which travel upon the track, so that one track maybe used for any number of machines, a return track being used for bringing the machines or coilers back to the starting point.

The invention is also designed to provide a machine having a hopper from which the match-splints are deposited at intervals upon the track taken therefrom and wound separately upon a spool or drum, the mechanism for regulating the feed of the web and tape engaging the rack-bar so that as the machine is carried or propelled it will form thematchsplints into coils.

In practice I preferably provide a doubletrack and an endless cable or belt which passes beneath the tracks, one of the tracks having a rack-bar beyond one of its rails for operating the coilers or bunching machines and between the rails racks or serrated plates for receiving the match -splints. Both tracks may be similarly equipped if desired, and it is not absolutely necessary that the serrated plates which receive the match splints should be continuous though in practice itis preferred that they should be.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a coiling apparatus for match-splints mounted on the track, Figs. 1 and 1 being the end portions of the track. Fig. 2 is a side view of the coiler. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the coiler, the section being continued through the track. Fig. 4 is atransverse sectional view on the line lat of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan View showing one of the coilers in the act of forming the splints into a coil and the other coiler returning empty. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the switch, located at each end of the double track, and Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the wheels over which the endless cable or belt passes.

In carrying out my invention I'first'construct a suitably supported platform A upon which is secured rails a a and a a'between which are slots 0. At suitable intervals the platform is provided with supports for a trough a in which the endless cable or belt A travels, the cable being provided with suitable buttons as shown. The endless cable or belt passes over drums or wheels A located at each end of the main track, and one of these-drums is driven in any suitable manner, it being preferably mounted on a shaft having a gear wheel which meshes with another gear wheel the shaft of which carries a pulley over which the driving belt passes. At the. ends of the main track are track sections as shown on Sheet 1, Figs. ltand 1". These end sections are provided with movable switch-points so that the coilers after passing beyond the drums A over which the endless cable passes will remain idle until pushed upon the track. There is a section of track beyond the switch-point of a length to receive one or more coilers. To one side of one of the tracks the platform A supports a rack-bar or toothed strip A and between the rails of said track are serrated bars a which are adapted to receive and separate the matchsplints. These serrated bars may be shaped similar to saw-teeth so that the match-splints will fall to the base portions of the recesses.

The platform and tracks may be of any desired length, and the parts hereinbefore enumerated may be modified to effect the same results without departing from my invention.

The coiler or bunching machine B is mounted on wheels I) which travel upon the tracks; these wheels being journaled in the side frames of the coiler. One endof the frame of the coiler carries a depending finger Z) which is adapted to engage with the endless cable or belt or with the bottoms attached thereto. At the center of the coiler between the side pieces of the same is journaled a cylinder 13' having grooves or recesses in its periphery, the spaces between the grooves or recesses corresponding substantially with the distance between the base portions of the recesses in the serrated bars a located between the tracks. In the rear of the cylinder B and secured between the side pieces of the frame of the coiler is a block B one side of which is concave to receive the cylinder and retain the match-splints in the recesses in the periphery thereof. A hopper is mounted above the cylinderB and the match-splints are fed from said hopper into the recesses in the periphery of the cylinder from which they are deposited into the recesses of the bars or located between the tracks. The cylinder is revolved by means of a gear wheel I) mounted on the shaft of the same meshing with the rack-bar A located to one side of the track.

It will be noted that the part of my invention hcreinbefore described provides means for placing the match-splints in line at regular intervals as the machine is moved over the track, and this feature with the track and endless cable successfully distributes the match-splints in such a manner that they may be clamped in suitable frames and then dipped; but my carriages are designed to carry coiling mechanism.

The frame of the coiler is provided with supports 0 and C'in the upper ends of which are journaled shafts upon which are mounted spools which carry the web 10 and tape 23, the spools being mounted upon the shafts to be readily removed therefrom.

C designates the support for the shaft 0 which carries the block upon which the web and tape are wound. The support 0 is preferably pivoted to the frame of the coiler and upon one end of the shaftc is mountedapulley D over which passes a belt at from a pulley D mounted on a shaft 0' journaled in the frame of the coiler and carrying a gear wheel b in mesh with the rack-bar A located to one side of the track. This gearing provides for revolving the block upon which the web and tape are wound, said web and tape coiling the match-splints between them as hereinafter described.

The stub-shafts upon which are mounted the spools carrying the web and tape are provided to one side of their supports with friction disks e and f over which pass straps. c and f, one end of each strap being attached to the support while the other end is attached to a spring .9 f thus retarding the feed of the spools, it being borne in mind that the block D upon which the web and tape are wound from the spools is positively driven when the machine is in operation. The web after leaving the spool carried by the support 0 passes around a guide roller 9 loosely mounted on a shaft journaled in the side pieces of the coiler and passes therefrom over a larger roller G which lies immediately above the platform and is keyed to a shaft also journaled in the side pieces of the coiler, the web extending from the roller G through a staple g to the block D over which it is wound, as shown in Fig. 3. Therollers G and g are grooved or provided with flanges as shown to guide the web thereon. The tapet is led from its spool directly to the ceilingblock D and before commencing the operation of ceiling the match-splints the Web and tape are both attached to said coiling-block.

The gearwheel b on the shaft'of the distributing cylinder and in mesh with the rackbar A also meshes with a pinion btkeyed on a shaft journaled in one of the side pieces of the coiler and carrying a gearwheel b which meshes with a gearwheel b upon the shaft of which is mounted a feed-roller h, said feed roller lying above the distributing cylinder B and forming a part of the hopper. This feed-roller hasa roughened surface and turns in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 3 so that it will prevent the match-splints jamming between said roller and the distributing cylinder. The hopper is provided with a board 71/ which is pivoted at its upper end to the sides of the hopper, the lower end of said board bearing upon the distributing-cylinder so that as the cylinder is turned the splints will be agitated in the hopper.

A gearwheel b is keyed upon the shaft which carries the guide-roller Gso that said guide-roller will be turned when the machine travels on the track and assist in feeding the web.

It will be noted that the gearwheels b Z2 and b are all of the same size and provided with the same number of teeth, and that the pinions or smaller gearwheels b and b are of diiferent sizes, so that the feed roller 7L will turn much more rapidly than the cylinder 13.

In operation spools of web and tape are placed upon the shafts carried by the supports 0 and G and the web and tape led to the block D and attached thereto as hereinbefore described. The match-splints may then be placed in the hopper and the coiler switched from the end portion of the track to the part of the same having the rack-bar A and serrated barsa. The cable then engages with the finger which passes through the slot in the platform and as the machine is carried forward the distributing-cylinder will take the match-splints from the hopper and deposit them upon the serrated bars above the web and as the coiler moves on the splints will be picked up by the web and tape and wound upon the coiling-block D and when the bundle has reached the proper size, or the machine has arrived at the end of the rack-bar, the bundle can be removed and other blocks and spools placed upon the machine to repeat the operation.

Under some circumstances the tape may be dispensed with, especially when a web of great thickness is used, but it is preferred to use the tape in connection with the web as it is customary with this class of machines and dispenses with excessively thick web.

It will be noted that as the coiler occupies but a small part of the track a large number of them can be used, following one after the other. The length of the track is determined by the length of the web and tape and size of bundle desired.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a track or way of a match coiling machine mechanically propelled or drawn over said track or way and having means for depositing match splints at intervals thereon, and removing them therefrom for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a track or way and serrated bars located between the track or way, of a machine moving over the track or way and having means for depositing matchsplints on said serrated bars and mechanism for taking them therefrom and for coiling the match-splints, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination with atrack or way having recesses between the tracks to receive match-splints, of a match splint coiling machine moving over the track or way and having means for depositing match-splints in the recesses, between the track and removing them therefrom and coiling them on a spool for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination with a track. or way having serrated bars between the track, of a machine moving over the track or way and having means for depositing match-splints uponthe serrated-bars, and taking them therefrom for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination with a track or way, of a coiler mounted thereon having means for depositing match-splints at intervals upon the track or way and then bundling them, and means for causing the coiler to travel on the track or way for the purpose set forth.

6. In an apparatus for coiling match-splints, the combination, of a track or way upon which the coiling machine travels and the coiling machine having meanswhich engage with the propelling means, said propelling means being located beneath the track or way for the purpose set forth.

7. In an apparatus forcoiling match-splints, the combination, of a slotted track or way, means located thereon for holding the matchsplints at intervals, and a machine for taking the match-splints and winding them upon a spool, of an endless cable located beneath the 7 track or Way with which the coiler engages for the purpose set forth. i

8. The combination with a slotted track or way, beneath which is located driving mech anism of a machine moving over the same and having a hopper and serrated wheel or cylinder for depositing match-splints at intervals upon the track or way, said machine having means which engages with the driving mechanism beneath the track or way for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination with a slotted track or way having an endless belt or cable beneath the track, of a serrated plate or plates located upon the same and a machine having means which passes through the slot in the track or way and engages with the endless belt or cable, said machine also having a hopper and serrated wheel or cylinder for depositing match splints upon the serrated plate or plates, for the purpose set forth.

10. In a movable or traveling apparatus for coiling match-splints, the combination, of a track or way having means for receiving and spacing match-splints, together with a traveling coiler having a web which is adapted to pick up the match-splints and wind them upon a block, as the coiling machine moves upon the track or way for the purpose set forth.

1]. In a movablev apparatus for coiling match-splints, the combination, of the slotted track or Way having at intervals spaces for receiving match-splints, together with a travcling coiler having web and tape which pass on each side of the match-splints and are wound upon a block, and propelling mechanism beneath the track or way with which the coiler engages for the purpose set forth.

12. In an apparatus for coiling matchsplints, the combination of a track or way having at intervals spaces for receiving matchsplints, together with a traveling coiler having a serrated cylinder for taking the matchsplints from a hopper and depositing them upon the track or way and aweb which is guided below the splints, said web being connected to a coiling block so as to take the splints from the track or way and bundle them, for the purpose set forth.

13. In an apparatus for coiling matchsplints, the combination, of a track or way having serratedbars upon which the match splints are deposited and a rack-bar extending parallel with said track or way, of coiling mechanism having gearwheels which mesh with the rack-bar and means for causing the carriage or ceiling apparatus to travel upon the track or way, for the purpose set forth.

14:. In an apparatus for coiling matchsplints, the combination, of a slotted track or way, serrated bars positioned between the tracks for receiving match-splints, a carriage adapted to carry the match-splints and deposit them upon the serrated bars and means carried by the coiler which engages with an endless cable or belt located beneath the slotted track for moving the coiler thereon, for the purpose set forth.

15. In combination with a track or way, of a match-splint coiling machine adapted to travel upon said track or way, the coiling machine having a tape or web of less length than the track or way and means for depositing the match-splints upon the tape or web between the tracks and coiling them upon a spool, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

16. In a coiling apparatus for match-splints which is adapted to travel on a track or way, the combination, of a hopper and distribut ing cylinder, a spool carrying a web or flexible band, said web or flexible band being guided below the distributing cylinder to a coiling-block, the coiling block and distributing cylinder being actuated by the travel of the coiling machine as it is moved over the track or way, for the purpose set forth.

17. In a match coiling apparatus, the combination, of a carriage or coiling apparatus having supporting wheels, a hopper carried thereby, a feed roller and distributing cylinder positioned with respect to the hopper as shown, a block forming with the distributing cylinder a way for the match-splints, a web carried by the carriage and guided beneath the distributing-cylinder, a coiling-block car-- ried by the carriage to which the web is connected, and mechanism for communicating motion to the parts as the carriage is moved upon the track or way, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

18. In an apparatus for coiling matchsplints, the combination, of a hopper, serrated cylinder and feeding roller, the hopper having a pivoted board It the lower end of which rests upon the serrated cylinder, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

19. In an apparatus for coiling or separating match-splints, the combination, of a hopper, serrated distributing cylinder and feed roller h, of a board or inclined way forming one side of the hopper, said board being vibrated by the distributing cylinder, substan- 6o tially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

20. In a machine for separating and bunching match-splints, the combination, ot'a hopper, a serrated cylinder and an inclined board 7t pivoted adjacent to its upper end to the hopper the lower end of the same resting upon the serrated cylinder so that the board will be vibrated as the cylinder is rotated, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

21. In a machine forbunching match sticks or splints, the combination, of a movable carriage having a hopper and means for conveying the match-splints therefrom and depositing them above a flexible tape or web, of supports which carry the spool containing the web, a guide roller for the web, a coilingblock removabl y mounted upon the carriage, means for rotating the coiling-block, of a slotted track or way beneath which is an endless cable the traveling machine having means which passes through the slot and engages with an endless cable substantially as shown.

22. In an apparatus for coiling matchsplints, the combination, of the tracks or ways having slots, serrated bars located between one pair of the tracks, a rack-bar located to one side of one of the rails of the track, an endless cable located beneath the slots in the tracks, the end sections of the tracks beyond the cable having switches, substantially as shown, and a machine adapted to travel upon the tracks and deposit match-splints upon the serrated bars and then bunch them, for the purpose set forth.

23. In. an apparatus for coiling matchsplints, the combination of a track or way having serrated bars, an endless cable and rack-bar for imparting motion to the ceiling apparatus which travels upon the track or Way, of acoiling apparatus mounted on Wheels and provided with gearwheels which are adapted to engage with the rack-bar, said gearwheels imparting motion to the mechanisni for depositing matches upon the serrated bars and to the mechanism for picking up the match-splints and coiling them upon a block as the carriage moves upon the track, the carriage having means for engaging with the cable, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES B. ANDREWS.

Witnesses:

JAMES D. KERR, EPHRAIM LIGHT. 

